Killing the Carnations (A Heavenly Highland Inn Cozy Mystery) (2 page)

“
I'll find out for you,” the woman replied with a sweet smile. She seemed to be enamored with Aunt Ida which Vicky understood.  Aunt Ida had a very charming and vivacious personality which made her rather endearing. Vicky gestured to the concierge who was standing nearby.

“
Can you help Mr. Davis upstairs with his bags,” she asked, trying to hide her amusement as Kent took one look at the pile and then grabbed a luggage cart.

As Charleston and his
fiancée followed him, Brendan stepped up to the desk.

“
Sorry about all of that,” he said with a grim smile. “Charleston can get a little carried away.”

“
No need to apologize,” Vicky smiled politely. “Could I have your name?”

“
It's Nicholas Brendan,” he replied and seemed to be studying Aunt Ida who was still standing beside the desk. Aunt Ida appeared to be oblivious to his attention as she was daydreaming about herself in that gold dress. Vicky noticed it however, and did her best not to grin.

“
Well, Mr. Brendan I have two options for you. You can have a room on the third floor, or on the second,” she tried to meet his gaze, but he was still staring at Aunt Ida. “Would you prefer a larger room with a view of the parking lot, or a smaller room with a view of the garden?” she asked calmly.

“
The larger room is fine,” he said with a shrug. “I can see there's more beauty to view around here than just the garden.”

Aunt Ida glanced up at his comment and caught him looking directly at her. Her cheeks flushed with surprise but her lips curled into a
come hither smile.

“
Oh Mr. Brendan, I can show you to your room, if you'd like?” she suggested, her smile spreading and her lashes batting swiftly. Vicky suppressed a giggle and handed over Nicholas' room key.

“
That sounds wonderful,” he agreed and accepted the key. He offered Aunt Ida his arm, and she led him towards the elevator. As Vicky glanced back at the crowd of people in the lobby she noticed it was beginning to thin out. They were finally getting everyone checked in. She stole a glance over at Sarah and saw that she looked exhausted. Vicky made a mental note to make sure she got a day at the spa. Sarah's day didn't end when she went home, she still had a lot to take care of with a family and house to keep up. Her husband was helpful, but it was still a lot on her big sister's shoulders, and Vicky tried to do her best to make sure she got a little time away to herself.

Vicky on the other hand hadn't been getting much alone time, and she loved every minute of it. She and one of the
deputy sheriffs had struck up a friendship that quickly developed into a romance. Vicky was so used to being on her own that being in a new relationship had been a bit bumpy for her at first, but she was getting very used to Deputy Sheriff Mitchell Slate always being there for her. She found herself eager to meet up with him in the evenings no matter how tired she was. That night would be no different as they had plans to go out for Chinese food together. The thought renewed her determination to get through the day.

As she registered several more people and distributed their room keys she noticed that several of the managers of the company
had brought along their spouses. Maybe they had heard about the inn's reputation for being a romantic getaway, not just for the stars, but for anyone that enjoyed such a serene environment. The character of the old inn was enticing for many as its expansive stone structure could remind one of old French castles. But the charm of the inn itself wasn't the only thing that drew the attention of travellers. It was the setting that really pushed the inn to the top of the list when it came to an enjoyable escape.

Set on the outskirts of a quaint little town, the Heavenly Highland Inn was surrounded by nature at its finest. From the towering trees that were always laden with large and
colorful leaves, to the mountains beyond the expansive gardens, there was something for everyone to enjoy. There were numerous walking trails that wound along a small lake and up through a few acres of woods, as well as leading directly through the well manicured gardens. The gardens were the inn's pride and joy as they always had colourful flowers no matter what the season. They were dotted with intricate stone statues that stood out as pleasant surprises amidst the foliage, as well as little nooks and hideaways where guests would often retreat for private picnics or trysts. The chef of the inn, Henry, offered a special picnic basket for any guest who wanted to enjoy the beauty that surrounded the inn. It was very popular with guests who were couples, but often even a single person would order the basket and spend the afternoon in the garden.

Sarah worked very hard to ensure that
every guest who stayed at the inn had a memorable experience. Vicky worked very hard to ensure that whatever their special occasion might be, they had a wonderful way to celebrate it. They made a good team, as they were not just sisters, but also good friends. While Sarah tended to bring out the mature side of Vicky, Aunt Ida always sought to involve her in her antics and crazy schemes. Vicky was grateful to them both, and even her dear brother-in-law, Phil, who was as straight-laced as they come.

“
Phew, that was quite a rush,” Sarah said as she walked over to the desk. “Did everything go okay over here?”

“
Sure,” Vicky nodded a little. “Emily helped out with some room arrangements, but I think we're going to have our hands full with the CEO's two candidates for replacements.”

“
Oh?” Sarah asked with surprise and glanced around the lobby for any sign of them.

“
Nicholas and Charleston,” Vicky explained. “They're already headed up to their rooms,” she lowered her voice slightly as her lips curved into a devilish smile. “Aunt Ida escorted Nicholas.”

Sarah's eyes widened as she stared at Vicky.
“Oh no! We're never going to get her away from him!” she laughed in a good natured way, but Vicky could see the exhaustion in her sister's eyes.

“
Go home and rest, Sarah,” Vicky suggested gently. “I'll take care of things here, and if there's a problem, I can always call you.”

Sarah looked as if she might argue with Vicky, but she had to stifle a yawn first.
“Thanks, Vicky,” she murmured gratefully then gave her sister a warm hug.

Vicky turned back to the computer as Sarah walked out of the hotel. It paid to live
where she worked. As long as there were no issues, Vicky could kick back in her own apartment which took up one section of the main floor.

“
Hey there,” Mitchell's voice drifted across the desk as he paused before it. When Vicky looked up she was immediately swept away by the warm smile that danced across his lips.

“
Hey yourself,” she replied with a soft laugh. “I didn't think you were going to be here until eight.”

“
I know I'm early,” he grinned apologetically. “It's not my fault, I just couldn't stay away,” he pouted playfully.

It took some major restraint on Vicky's part to keep from launching over the desk and jumping right into his arms. She cleared her throat and looked back at the computer monitor.

“That's all right, you can keep me company while I get things settled for the night,” she suggested with a slight shrug.

“
That would be perfect,” Mitchell agreed as he glanced around the lobby. “So the big conference is off to a good start?”

“
So far so good,” Vicky sighed nervously. “Hopefully, all these high powered executives aren’t going to turn out to be very picky and demanding.”

“
Hmm,” Mitchell leaned his elbows on the desk and nodded as he studied her amorously. “I'm sure if they are, you'll set them straight.”

“
What's that supposed to mean?” Vicky asked with a grin.

“
That you're a very resourceful, intelligent woman who can handle any situation that's thrown at her,” Mitchell replied with complete confidence as he stared into her green eyes.

“
Good one,” Vicky laughed and leaned forward across the desk to softly kiss his cheek. It had been a long time since Vicky was in a steady relationship and things with Mitchell had certainly become steady. He always seemed to be looking out for her.

“
I need about an hour,” she murmured beside his ear before she turned back to the computer. “We'll have to have dinner at my place, because I sent Sarah home early. She was really wiped out.”

“
That was nice of you,” Mitchell offered with a smile.

“
How was the first day without Sheriff Mcdonnell?” Vicky questioned. Mitchell had been put in charge while the sheriff was having a couple of days off for a minor operation.

“
Uneventful,” he offered casually as he turned to look over the lobby of the inn. He had a habit of surveying everything wherever he was. It was something that Vicky hadn't noticed at first, but now she thought was rather adorable.

Aunt Ida was on a mission of her own. She had led Nicholas Brendan to his room. As he unlocked the door he paused and glanced over at her.

“
Thank you for your help, and the company,” he said in a warm tone.

“
It was no problem at all,” Aunt Ida replied and tried to sound casual. The truth was she had enjoyed every minute of the elevator ride alone with him. He continued to compliment her on everything he could think of, and she found the incessant flirting to be very appealing. “If you need anything, feel free to ring the desk,” Aunt Ida added and started to turn away from the door.

“
Wait,” he smiled coyly at her as she paused by the door. “Why not stay for a drink?” he suggested with warmth growing in his tone. Ida studied him for a long moment. She was always up for a little romance, but she had learned to be just a little cautious. She didn't know him at all, and though she found him to be quite attractive, she wondered why he would be so quick to invite her inside.

“
Perhaps another time,” she suggested as she started to step away from his door.

“
Must it be another time?” he asked pleadingly, and his eyes crinkled at the corners in a way that made Ida smile. “Just one glass?” he nearly begged.

“
Just one,” she finally agreed with a giddy smile. As she walked into his room he held the door open for her. When she heard the door click closed she turned to face him, and found that he was smiling with admiration at her. She shivered a little as his gaze swept along her figure and then back up to meet her eyes.

“
You know I was dreading this conference,” he muttered as he walked past her towards the small refrigerator that he had requested be stocked with a couple of bottles of local wine.

“
You were?” Ida asked with surprise. “Why is that?”

He pulled out a bottle of wine and opened it up with the corkscrew that had been left on top.

“Well, it's really just a charade, a send off,” he explained as he popped the cork and took a sniff of the wine. “Mm, lovely,” he shook his head with what seemed to be genuine surprise. “Who knew that my visit would be filled with such beauty, and such flavor,” he added as he poured them both a glass of wine. When he turned with her glass, Ida was flustered. She was the one that usually did all the flirting, and to have him be so bold was both exciting and a little nerve wracking.

“
Thank you,” she murmured in response to the glass of wine and the compliment.

He sat down at the small table, and Ida sat across from him with her glass of wine.
”Those carnations are so beautiful, just like you,” he said moving a vase of carnations on the table to the side so he could look at her.

“They are from the s
urrounding gardens. I picked them this morning,” she said with a smile. “You still haven't told me why you weren't looking forward to your stay here in our inn.”

“
It's like this,” he explained casually. “Jeremy is stepping down as CEO. He knows that he has to choose between two candidates to replace him. He can't just appoint someone, it has to look like he's thought it out, run it past the board, and really made a tough decision,” Brendan chuckled at that and shook his head. “But we all know who he wants to take his place. He hasn't been shy about revealing how fond he is of Charleston. The fact that I was even chosen to be in the running was a bit of an honor, but I never had any illusions that I was going to be named CEO.”

Ida narrowed her eyes as she tried to read the man's expression before her. She could sense some shyness, some low confidence in the way his lips shivered slightly and the wrinkles that lined his features in just the right places crinkled as he spoke.
“Why do you think so little of yourself?” she questioned. “A handsome and intelligent man like yourself with many years of experience should certainly be in the running. Maybe you're not giving yourself enough credit.”

“
Oh, if you want to talk about intelligence Charleston is your man,” Brendan said with a touch of confidence. “That man is a whiz, I tell you, and he's prone to bragging, but he has a right to. I appreciate your kindness, but I'm certain that you couldn't assess my worth to my company over one glass of wine,” he smiled sheepishly.